The present invention relates to a method for removing chemicals present in and on clothing and an apparatus for accomplishing the method.
It is known that fabrics, garments, leather garments and shoes contain remainders of, e.g., pesticides and other chemicals which are used at the production of fibers, e.g., of cotton, during the tanning of leather, during the coloring and during the finishing of such objects. These chemicals may irritate the skin of sensitive or allergic persons particularly when wearing new garments and may lead to unpleasant reactions. For this reason the washing of new garments is recommended before wearing, whereby, however, the chemicals are not always completely removed. According to tests one to ten washings are required in order to completely remove the contaminants.
Also the sterilization of garments is a problem, because neither the washing with known washing machines nor drum drying machines achieve a sterilization.
From DE-PS 33 43 236 a method for drying and sterilizing particularly sensitive garments is known wherein both the drying and the sterilization of the garment is accomplished in the same treating chamber in a condition of hanging essentially still and the sterilization is achieved directly after the drying wherein the garment is firstly dried while using a warm air stream in the known fashion and secondly the sterilization is accomplished in a hot air stream.
The apparatus for accomplishing the method according to DE-PS 33 43 236 comprises a drying chamber with devices for hanging garment particles and with means for the generation, distribution and particularly circulation of warm air and hot air with the means comprising a fan and a heating device wherein the fan comprises a device for adjusting the volume of the air stream as is known as well as a device for switching the rotational speed of the fan in at least two stages or speeds and the drying chamber comprises an over-heating switch or thermostat activating and deactivating the heating means.
Although the known method and the associated apparatus have been proven in practical performance, it has been a disadvantage, that the complete detoxication of the fabric parts could not be accomplished.